Pump-impeller mounting for laundry machines



Mayv 13, 1930.

G. w. DUNHAM PUMP IMPELLER MOUNTING FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES l Filed Nov. 11; 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 'HlS ATTORNEY May 13, 1930. G..w. DUNHAM 1,758,391

PUMP IMPELLBR MCL'NG FOR LAUNDRY MACHINES Filed Nov. 11. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HIS ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES` PATENT'- oFFlcE GEORGE W. DUNHAM, OFUTICA, YORK, SSIGNOR T0 WHIRLDRY CORPORATION,

F UTICA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PUMP-IMPELLER MOUNTING FOR LANDRY MACHINES -Application tiled November 11, 1925. Serial No. 68,467.

This invention relates to centrifugal pumps in which the opening in the casing thru which the shaft passes is sealed without the use of packings, and more particularly to a novel manner of mounting the impeller on the drive shaft. This invention is particularly adapted to be used with laundry machines of the type which comprises al receptacle mounted to l' self-adjusting, the clearance between the pump casing on both sides of the impeller being taken care of by positioning devices which hold the impeller in proper position automatically. This construction eliminates manual adjustment of the impeller upon the impeller shaft which has been necessary to place the impeller in proper axial position.

A further feature of the invention is a construction in which the impeller is positively locked on the impeller shaft in such manner that, while it is constrained to rotate therewith, it is allowed to freely move longitudinally, this construction eliminating setscrews or other devices which` are liable to loosen,

with use.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying my invention or from an inspection of the `accompanying drawings; and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction vand combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustration one form of mechanism embodying the invention, in which f Fig. l is a broken elevational view mpstly in section of a laundry machine .having a pump provided with aconstruction according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 isa section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l' looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a detailed section showing the construction vwhere the impeller connecting sleeve is connected to the drive shaft;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the construction where the impeller connecting sleeve is secured to the connecting j collar;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66'of Fig. 5

'further illustrating this construction and showing the relative position of the parts at a stage of assembly; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view looking at the lower face of the upper half of the pump casing, the lower half of the pump casing being removed. In the following description and in the claims parts will be identified by specific names for convenience,l but they are intended lto be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. l, for purpose of illustration, the invention is shown as applied to the centrifugal pump of a laundry. machine. It Will be understood that the invention is applicable in any case in which it is desired to seal the drive shaft of a centrifugal pump to a casing wall and in which it is desirable to have the impeller self adjustin on the impeller drive shaft. The tank 1 o the laundry machine may have secured at its bottom an upwardly projecting tube or pedestal 2 on the upper end of which may be rotatably mounted a receptacle 3 having a hub 4 fitting over the pedestal 2. The-receptacle may be stationarv and filled with laundry for washing purposes which may be washed by -suitable washing mechanism (not shown). The receptacle may be rotatedat sulicient speed to dry the laundry by centrifugal drying. The centrifugal pump 5 may be mounted concentric with the pedestal 2 at its lower end and may be adapted to receive washing liquid from the bottom ofthe tank 1 and to discharge the same thru the discharge conduit 6 by suitable means (not shown) either into the top of the laundry receptacle 3 or into any other desired location. Secured also tothe lower end of the pedestal 2 and beneath the pump 5 may be a housing 7 in which may be located suitable driving mechanism 8 for driving the receptacle, the washing-mechanism, and the pump.

The bottom of the tank 1 may be provided -with a central opening 10 thru which may project the hub member 11 of the upper half 12 of the pump casing 13. The upper half-of the ump casing may be suitably secured t0 the ottom of the tank as by means of bolts 14 and in such manner as to make a liquidtight joint. Seated within the hub member 11 and suitably secured thereto is the hollow edestals 2 for supporting the receptacle. he pump further comprises a lower half or section15 whichcooperates with the upper half or section 12 to form a pump chamber in which is positioned the ypump impeller or runner 16. Secured to the pump casing 13 is thehousing 7 which surrounds the driving mechanism, the said housing being secured to the pump casing by the same bolts 17 which secure the casing halves tog ther. The combe un erstoo however, that a fiat screen may be vused extending a substantial distance across the bottom of the tank in order to give increased eiective-screen area at low water to obviate any possibility of the screen becoming clogged due to too much dirt and lint from the laundry being deposited on a small area.

In' order toseal the opening for the drive shaft-25 in the lower wall of the pump casin 13 to prevent thewashing liquid in the tan 1 getting into the gear housing 7 a sealing means is provided. The sealing means includes a tubular member or well 22 secured to the lower half -15 ofnthe ump casing within the depending hub mem er 23 and extends upwardly to a point higher than the highest level of liquid 1n the tank. It will easily be seen .that it is impossible for liquid to get down into the gear housing from the tank or pump chamber. Within the well 22 ma be disposed concentric shafts, the inner sha t 24 being used to drive the washing mechanism,

and the outer shaft 25 being used to drive the rece tacle 3 for centrifugal drying, these sha ts bein suitably connected tothe drivf ing vmechanism 8 in the gear housing 7 n orderto drive thegpump impeller 16, a connecting sleeve 26 maybe used which surrounds the well 22 and extends from the pump impeller up to a point on the tubular shaft 25l above the well. The connecting sleeve 26 is preferably secured to the pump impeller 16 ,rigidly so that no relative movement in any directlon is permitted. The connecting sleeve 26 may be secured to the tubular shaft 25 in such manner that it is constrained to rotate therewith but is permitted to have a relative longitudinal movement thereto. The means for securing the connecting sleeve 26 to the tubular shaft 25 andto the pump impeller 16 will be described more in detail hereinafter.

In order to properly space the impeller from the lower half v15 of the pump casing, spacing washers may be used. An upper spacing washer 28 may be provided having upward projections which engage the strengthening ribs 29 on the lower face of the impeller, the upper washer being constrained thereby to rotate with the impeller. The lower washer 30 may be left free to float between the lower half of the pump casing 15 and the upper washer 28.

It will be seen that the spacing washers act to automatically position the impeller properly within the pump chamber, its weight and the downward force of the washing liquid holding it in position. The upper half of the pump casing may limit the movement of allow longitudinal movement of the connecting collar. The connecting collar 31 may have a plurality ofnotches 35 in its upper side. Tongues 36 may be struck from the connecting sleeve 26 and bent over into these notches as shown clearly in Fig. 6. Then the sides of the notches may be swaged down over the tongues 36 to prevent longitudinal movement between the connecting collar 31 and connecting sleeve 26, as shown best in Fig. 4.

To rigidly s'ecure the impeller 16 to the connecting sleeve 26, the connecting sleeve may be provided with an annular bead 37. The impeller may be positioned on the connecting sleeve until its hub abuts the annular bead 3"?.l The impeller may have a plurality of notches in its lower face into which may be bent tongues 38 struck from the connecting sleeve. vThis arrangement will securely lock vthe impeller to the connecting sleeve. How- Itwill be understood that the pump construction will be in accordance-with the wellknown principles of centrifugal pumps, the pump being modified only in so far as is necessary to co-actwith the adjoining parts to carry out the principles of this invention.

It will be appreciated that the manner of securing the pump impeller to the drive shaft so that the pump impeller is longitudinally self-adjusting is very valuable from an assembly standpoint as well as from an operating standpoint. When the parts are once assembled there is absolutely no chance of any of them breaking loose, thereby causing Ifailurthermore, by the use of spacing washers the pump runner is automatically-properly positioned within the pump casing, this ehminating a manual` adjustment which would lhave to be made. if set screws or similar'devices were used. I

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation ma be made by those skilled in the art without eparting -froni the spirit of the.in vention.

Having described m inVention,I claim:

. 1. vIn a laundry mac ine, a tank adapted to hold liquid, a centrifugal pump casing having communication with said tank, said casing having a well secured to the lower wall nand extending up above the highest liquid level, a drive shaft within said well, an 'mil peller within said pump casing, and means for connecting said impeller to said shaft so that said impeller is constrained to rotate.

with said shaft but is structurally free to move axially relatively thereto, anda thrust bearing between said impellerand lower wall. 2.- In a laundry machine, a tank adapted to hold liquid, a centrifugal pump casing having communication with said tank, said casing having a well secured to its lower wall `and extending up above the highest liquid l level, a drive-.shaft within saidwellranimpeller within said -pump casing, a connecting sleeve surroundin said well, and means-for ymy hand.

said casing havin an opening extending from said tank to t e pump chamber, means for connecting said impeller to said'shaft so that said impeller is constrained to rotate with said shaft but is free to move axially relatively to said casing, and spacing washers between said impeller and lower wall, the upper washer being constrain ed to rotate with said impeller, the lower washer floating.

4. In a laundry'machine, a tank having an opening in the bottom thereof, a centrifugal pump casing secured to said bottom at said opening, said casing having an upper section with a pedestal extendingl up into said tank, and a lower section having a well secured thereto extendin' up into. said pedestal, a drive shaft wit in said. well, an impeller within said pump casing, said upper section having openings surrounding said pedestaland extending fromsaid tank to the pump chamber, a connecting sleeve within said pedestal and surrounding said well and rigidly secured to said impeller a connecting collar above said well and rigi ly secured to said sleeve, said collar having a feather keyway engagement with said shaft.

5. In a laundry machine, antank having an opening inthe bottom thereof, a centrifu` gal pump casing securedto said bottom at said opening, said casing having an` upper section with a pedestal extending up intosaid tank, and a lower section having a well secured thereto extending up into said pedestal, Ia drive shaft within said well, an impeller within said pump casing, said upper section having' openings surrounding said pedestal and extending from said tank tothe pump chamber, a connecting sleeve within said sleeve,- said collar having a feather keyway engagement with said shaft, and spacing washers between said impeller and lower section, the upper washer bein constrained to rotate with said impeller, t e lower washer floating. V- v In testimony whereof I have hereunto set GEORGE w. DUNHAM.

connecting said s eeve to said impellerand -V to said shaft su4 that said im eller. is constrained to rotate with said s ha turall free to move axially relatively thereto, an a thrust bearing between said impeller and lower wall.

3. in n laundry machine, n ank having an ropening in the bottom thereof, a centrifugal pump casing'secured to said bottom at said opening, said casing having a pedestal extending from its upper wall up into said tank and a,` well exten from its lower wall up into said pedestal, a drive shaft within said but is struc- Y V12bv well, an impeller within said'pump iso 

